Light from the Dark
by Kaia Sinclair
Summary: Three months after returning to her own time Kagome is forced back to the feudal era and is unable to return. The well rejects her and Inuyasha’s betrayed her, she has no one to turn to. Now she must face an ancient evil and find a new place in the world.
1. Into the Well

**Chapter I -- Into the Well **

Kagome sighed contently as she flopped back on her bed. She had spent the day with her friends, helped around the house and the weather had been wonderful. Everything seemed perfect. It had been three months since she had last thought of the feudal era and convinced herself that her life would be much better without that little part. By now, she had actually come to believe that. It was almost as if the last couple years she had spent traveling in the past had never happened, that they had been nothing more than a dream inspired by a fairy tale. Smiling up at the ceiling, Kagome wondered what the next day would bring. Minutes later, she was asleep.

_"What is this power that awakens me from my slumber?"_ a deep voice asked, sounding slightly confused. Red eyes opened in the pit of the well._ "It is not something I have felt before…" _Inky black shadows began to crawl up the sides of the well and into the building that surrounded it. They felt around the walls before finding the door. Slowly, they moved across that yard and towards they nearby house.

Inside, Kagome's eyes slowly opened. They were still clouded by sleep, she had not awoken. Sitting up, she slid off the bed and walked towards the window as if in a trance. Reaching out, she touched it at the same time the darkness did from the outside. The window pane seemed to vanish as the two powers touched. Reaching through, the darkness wrapped around the girl and lifted her from her feet.

_"Is this it?"_

Slowly, Kagome's mind returned to wakefulness, but when it did, it did not take long for her to realize something wasn't right. She remembered falling asleep on her bed, her nice soft bed. Wherever she was laying now was not soft. As soon as this registered in her brain, she was instantly awake and sitting upright. There were four walls of dirt surrounding her and a grey sky above. "Where…?" It took another couple moments for her to remember that she had seen this view many, many times. Standing, she grabbed the vines that had grown on the wall and climbed out of the well.

"Why am I here?" She asked herself quietly as she looked around at the scenery. It was exactly the same as she had left it. Sitting on the lip of the well, she turned back around and dropped back down with every intention of returning to her own time. Looking up, she frowned. She was still the feudal era.

Frustrated and confused, Kagome climbed to the top of the well once again. Looking around, then down, she could find nothing else out of the ordinary. A light breeze brought the scent of rain, unmistakable even to a human. Banishing all traces of sleep from her mind, she found the path that led to the village and followed it. Maybe Kaede could help her find the reason why the well hadn't allowed her to pass through.

The walk took a scant thirty minutes to complete, and when she arrived at the hill before the village, she was met with a sight she could possibly never forget. The village had been destroyed; long enough that any who could have still been alive had passed on but not so long that the aura of whatever had done it still hung heavy in the air. The force of it took her breath away as she stood on the hill. Slowly, she entered the village, heading to Kaede's house. She knew what she would find, but she hoped that this would be some dream and she would wake up by the time she got there. She didn't, and she found the miko's body lying inside the remains of her hut.

Kagome was about to climb over the remnants of the doorframe when something in the mud caught her eye. A pink glint, half buried and covered in a thick coat of grime, but that did not obscure it enough to keep the girl from recognizing in. Bending down, she gently pulled the Shikon no Tama from the earth and wiped it off with her hand. The last time she had seen it, she had made her wish and it had vanished in a flash of power and light. "Their happiness," she whispered what she had wished for under her breath. As soon as they knew, if they didn't already, it would seem as though that wish would have no meaning.

Slipping the chain of the jewel around her neck, she stood and looked around her. There was no way she could give everyone a proper burial, she wouldn't even be able to manage one for Kaede alone. Placing her hand over the jewel, she wondered what she was going to do. As she stood there, the weather prompted her to hurry up; the clouds opened up and it began raining on her. Kagome headed back into the village, trying to remember where the storage shed was. Once she found it, she was relieved to see that it was mostly intact. Inside, she searched until she found spare robes for a miko that would fit her. Quickly changing from her now wet and muddy pajamas and into the dry, clean and warmer outfit before looking back outside. She couldn't stay here; but she couldn't travel if she didn't have supplies or a weapon.

Looking around again, she figured she could find the basics in here. First was a bow and arrows, easy enough. Those down, she found a length of cloth to wrap her things in and carry on her back. Onto the cloth went a knife, flint and tinder, extra clothes, dried meat and a container to carry water in. Once she figured she had everything she could find and put to use, she sighed and looked out at the rain. Sitting, she decided to wait it out.

Two days later, Kagome was aimlessly wandering the countryside. She had no where to go, did not know where anyone she knew was and had no real purpose. The only reason she had come to the feudal era before was to fix the jewel she had broken, which had also led her to fighting Naraku. Both tasks had been completed. The one she had loved had found another. Without a destination in mind, she simply followed the road she had started out on. Whenever she came to a split, she would go whichever way came to mind first. It was that afternoon when everything changed.

Kagome had paused by a stream to get a drink of water when a youkai's aura washed over her. Shocked, she rose to her feet and put and arrow to her ever-present bow, looking for the creature that startled her. She was unable to pinpoint its location, but it was coming towards her fast. Whatever it was, it was fast and powerful. As it drew close, she could finally tell the direction it was coming form and raised her bow, determined to fire as soon as she saw it. When the dark form materialized from the underbrush, Kagome released the arrow.

The creature stopped, looking down at the arrow now imbedded in its chest. Kagome strung an arrow, taking half a step back as she tried to figure out why it hadn't been purified on the spot. She fired again when it reached down and pulled the arrow from where it was lodged; hitting it in the arm.

_"Are you the one?"_ it asked. _"Did you awaken me?"_

"What?" The language it had spoken sounded completely foreign to her, and yet she understood the strange words.

Dropping the first arrow, it pulled out the second and dropped it too. Moving towards Kagome, it raised its hand as if to strike her. She fired a third shot, packing as much power into it as she could and hitting it between the eyes. Again, it had no effect. The creature's hand continued on its path and struck the side of her head. There was a sickening crack as Kagome fell to the ground, her neck had been broken. As suddenly as it had come, the creature turned and left.

-----------------------------------------------

"Sesshomaru-sama!" a little girl shrieked when she reached the river. "Sesshomaru-sama!"

"What is it, you stupid girl?" Jaken demanded as he walked over. "Sesshomaru-sama has no time for you're insolence! Hmm, what's this?" Leaning forward, he looked at what had startled the girl. "If it isn't that hanyou's wench."

"Sesshomaru-sama, please help Kagome-chan!" Rin begged when the taiyoukai entered the clearing. The silver haired one frowned as he looked from the dead girl to the pleading one. All his instincts were telling him that she was a miko and he should have nothing to do with her let alone reviving her. She was also human, and he despised them. Rin must have given him a soft spot; he had trouble denying her pleading eyes. The little girl had turned back to the other, so he let himself pull his lips back in a snarl before drawing the Tenseiga. It pulsed once, letting him see the creatures of the dead. Swinging it close to the miko's body, he destroyed them, healing and brining the girl back to life at the same time.

"Oh, thank you, Sesshomaru-sama!" Rin exclaimed when Kagome began breathing again. When brown eyes opened, she spoke again. "Kagome-chan, are you alright?"

Confused, Kagome looked around. There was a fading pain in neck. First, she saw Rin, followed by an annoyed Jaken and something white. Following it up, she found herself looking at the mighty Lord of the Western Lands. "Se-Sesshomaru…?"

"Come, Rin, we are going now." Turning, he began to walk away. Rin, with a last look at Kagome, hurried to follow with Jaken close behind.

Kagome forced herself to sit up. "Wait! Please."

Halting, Sesshomaru looked over his shoulder. "Why should I listen to a human?"

Her mind raced. She knew that would probably happen again, and she had been lucky Rin had found her. Sesshomaru would probably not revive her the next time. She hoped there wouldn't be a next time. "Can I…" Oh, she did not want to have to ask him. She was supposed to hate and fear the taiyoukai. "Can I go with you?" She so did not want to ask him of all people, but she did not want to continue wandering as she had been. She figured it would be best to take the first opportunity of protection and being able to direct her energies at something other than wandering aimlessly.

"Why are you not with the hanyou? If you had been with him that would not have happened." He watched in amazement as her eyes turned from pleading to hard and angry in less time than the blink of an eye.

"He does not want me around, he has Kikyou instead." This gave him an idea. If nothing else, he could use her to get at his half-brother. Maybe even get his hands on the Tetsusaiga, not that he still wanted it or anything. Not to mention she could stay with Rin and possibly even teach her some of what any child should know. Kagome looked at the ground as he studied her thinking that he would surely refuse and it had been a bad idea in the first place.

"Very well, but there will be one condition. If you cannot fulfill that condition, I will not hesitate to kill you." Kagome looked up, shocked. "You will be a mentor to Rin and when Jaken cannot, you will watch over her as well." In some ways, that was much better than simply being a shard detector, and she would be able to say she accomplished something by watching over the girl.

"Thank you," she said quietly. Sesshomaru had already turned back and started walking again.

"Come on, Kagome-chan!" Rin exclaimed, rushing over and grabbing Kagome's hand, hauling her to her feet and leading her after the taiyoukai. Kagome, after a brief word to Rin, retrieved her bow and arrows before following. She watched the taiyoukai's back as he walked, trying to figure out why he had let her come. Somehow, simply watching Rin did not seem like reason enough for him. This also brought the question of why the monster – was it a youkai? –that had attacked her hadn't taken the Shikon no Tama. After several minutes, she forced it out of her mind.

By that afternoon, she was smiling and conversing with Rin.

"Rin," Sesshomaru said, stopping for the first time since Kagome had joined them, "there is a village just beyond that rise. Go get yourself some food. Human-" as he addressed her, Kagome interrupted him. She would rather make it seem as if she volunteered to do something than to be ordered outright to do it.

"I'll go with her."

Hand in hand, the two human females followed the path to the small rise that lay before them. Reaching the top, Rin pulled away and raced down to the village. Kagome hurried to keep up.

"Why, hello there," one woman greeted the small girl. "What are you doing here? Are you lost?"

Rin shook her head and smiled brightly. "Rin would like some food, please."

"Rin!" Kagome called, catching up. "Please forgive her," she said to the woman, giving a small bow.

"Oh, don't worry; nothing would be too much trouble for a miko and her friend." The woman smiled in a friendly way and led them into the village. Kagome was thankful for the miko robes she wore, even if she didn't exactly like them. Asking them to wait just inside the door of her small hut, the woman set about getting together a small bundle of food and a couple other items. "Here you go, there's also a new set of clothes for her," she said, handing it to Kagome.

"You didn't need to trouble yourself," Kagome interjected.

"Nonsense, I would never turn away a miko such as you or one of her companions lacking anything. I trust you are just traveling through?"

"Yes."

"My blessings then, I hope your trip is swift and safe."

"Thank you," Kagome said with a small bow. That had gone a lot better than she had expected, she mused as she and Rin left the village. They received numerous other blessings from the villagers they passed. Maybe someday it would be nice to settle down in a place like this, learn about her powers and help people. That would be a nice way to live.

"Well?" a voice asked, bringing her back to reality.

"We have enough for a few days, I think, and Rin has some new clothes." Sesshomaru nodded in approval before turning and walking away.

"Don't worry," Rin whispered to her, "Sesshomaru is often like that to Rin. Rin thinks it is because there are so many other people nearby." Kagome nodded as the two followed them. Jaken's mutterings drifted back to them. Nothing different between now and any of the other times she had seen him, always complaining about humans.

Roughly an hour later, the sun was setting and Sesshomaru halted once more. Rin seemed to know what to do without being told. She set about gathering small sticks and piling them up for a fire. Kagome stepped forward and lit them with her flint, sparking it off her knife's blade. When the flame had lit, a hand entered her vision, offering her a small loaf of bread and some dried meat.

That night, as Kagome drifted off to sleep with Rin in her arms, she found it strange how two days could change your life so much. Twice now, her life had been turned upside down within 48 hours. The first time, she had been dragged down the Bone Eater's Well by the giant centipede, met Inuyasha, learned about the Shikon no Tama, broke it and found herself helping to find the shards to fix it. This time, she had gone through the well, again it wasn't of her own accord, found the village destroyed, been killed, brought back and joined Sesshomaru's group. Sometimes it's strange how fast what was once normal can become that which is not.


	2. New Life

**Chapter II -- New Life **

Life for Kagome Higurashi had fallen into a pattern drastically different from any she had experienced before. Sesshomaru never shared his plans with anyone, so it was impossible to tell if he led his group aimlessly or if he had some purpose; he would often disappear for hours, leaving the girls with Jaken. Rin and she went into the nearest village every few days to get food for them and sometimes Kagome would be asked to look at a sick child or give advice for someone who had recently lost a loved one. At night before they settled down to sleep, Kagome would find a stick or use the tip of her knife to write different letters in the dirt and help Rin to memorize them and their sounds; part of her duties to teach the child. She only wished she had some sort of literature which she could read to the girl from.

One day, a little over three weeks after Kagome had joined them, Sesshomaru had halted their progress for the day a couple hours early and vanished in the mysterious way he usually did. When he returned, it was getting late and the girls were eating their dinner while Rin wrote in the dirt and Kagome told her what she needed to correct. The girl had come a long way in the short time she had been learning. Neither girl paid him much attention while Jaken, ever eager to please his lord, was instantly at attention.

"We will begin heading for the castle in the morning," he announced before resuming his usual silence. Kagome glanced at him before returning to her teachings. She hadn't guessed in her wildest dreams that he would have a castle, but she had learned in the weeks she had traveled with him that there were many surprising things about him, and it was better to expect to be surprised than to think you know everything.

"Yay! Rin has missed Sesshomaru-sama's castle, it has been so long since Rin has been there." Kagome looked at the young girl and smiled. She was always so energetic.

That night as she lay with Rin, Kagome couldn't help but notice that the taiyoukai seemed to be troubled by something. It was hard to see, but she had learned to read his emotions a little over the last week; she doubted she would get much better. His expression was always so calm and icy.

Over the few weeks she had spent traveling in the feudal era; Kagome had begun to also have a nagging feeling that not all was right. Sure, there were still the usual youkai attacks, both random and after the jewel, but there was a strange feeling at the back of her mind that she couldn't quite put her finger on. If she thought about it for too long, she began to feel uncomforterable and would have to put it from her mind. It didn't take long for her to begin to just ignore it. At the same time, in the far away part of her mind, she knew that it was what was troubling Sesshomaru as well.

Sometime after she had drifted off to sleep, her mind fell into a dream different from any she had before; but it seemed familiar at the same time.

_The world she walked in was slowly enveloped in darkness, cutting her off from her friends who had been walking nearby. Stopping, she looked around. Inuyasha stepped out of the shadows and stood before her, an unreadable expression on his face. As it had with everything else, tendrils of the darkness reached around him, pulling him back into their depths. He did not seem to realize anything was strange, even when she called his name. On instinct, she reached within herself and grabbed hold of her miko powers, using them to create a barrier of sorts around her. They had no effect on the shadows. _

_"You power…" a voice said from behind her. She whirled around, hand upraised and glowing softly. "I want your power…" _

_"Who are you?" she demanded. _

_"Your power will be mine."_

Her eyes opened, taking in the scenery. Everything was still encompassed in the shadows of night; the sky was slowly brightening in the east. Carefully, Kagome maneuvered onto her back without waking Rin and placed one hand behind her head. She knew she would not be able to fall asleep again that night. Morning was coming fast, so it would not do her much good anyway. Whatever that dream had been about, it had certainly been strange. Was it simply a normal dream or was there some deeper meaning? As she thought about this, she found it had the same effect as that strange feeling that had been haunting her lately, giving her the feeling that she was being watched. After a few minutes, she figured she could puzzle over it later, and put it from her mind.

Another two hours passed before Rin stirred. When Kagome sat up, her shoulder protested and her hand was numb. As usual, the smaller girl talked incessantly, but Kagome enjoyed listening to it. Her chatter reminded her of Shippo, although she put the boy from her mind –guiltily- as she didn't want to think about him or the others too much. The memories that would come to mind were not things she wanted; they were painful and something she had forced herself to not think of since she left the feudal era months ago.

Despite the sudden change of plans, if there had been any to start with, the day continued exactly like every other since Kagome had joined them. That afternoon, when they stopped for their midday meal, Rin decided to ask a very innocent question.

"Kagome-chan, will you stay with Rin and Sesshomaru-sama forever?"

Kagome turned to the girl in surprise, pausing mid-bite. Lowering her hands to her lap, she looked into the trees, thinking. "I don't know, Rin-chan. I suppose the choice is Sesshomaru's more than mine. Eventually, I will probably have to go on my own way again."

"Sesshomaru-sama, can Kagome-chan stay with Rin forever?" Kagome mentally slapped herself.

The silver-haired youkai glanced at the girl before looking back at whatever he had been looking at. "Maybe," he replied after a moment. "We will see." Rin looked up at him with pleading eyes. He did not have to look at her to know this. "There is a field over there, take Jaken and go play for a while."

Rin pouted at him, so Kagome decided to intervene. "I'm sure there will be lot's of flowers, if you pick me enough, I will make you something. Ok?"

"Ok, Kagome-chan." Rin instantly turned and ran off in the direction Sesshomaru had indicated with Jaken following behind. Kagome watched the girl go, seemingly unknowing of the fact that she had just put herself in the spotlight.

"Well, miko?" Sesshomaru asked. "You will have to figure out what to do with yourself eventually."

She looked back down at her hands, noting that she had only eaten half of her food. "I have a name, you know," she replied quietly. Until now, she and Sesshomaru had not spoken. "It's Kagome."

"I asked you a question." For a minute, it seemed as though she would not answer. Distantly, Rin's laughter and Jaken's irate squawks reached her ears.

"I will leave anytime you want," she said slowly, choosing her words. "I have nothing here, but as soon as you do not want my presence any longer, I will leave and search for something to do with myself, as I was before we met." She did not feel like using Rin to gain some sort of advantage in making him let her stay, so she did not mention the girl.

"As I stated before, I will have no problem in letting you stay, as long as you hold up your end of the bargain." Kagome nodded in understanding. If there was one thing she had learned from the many times Inuyasha had spoken of his brother –none of it had been good, only serving to enhance the image of two brothers who hated each other- she had taken that he was a man of his word. Now, he had given her evidence that he would stay true to what he said.

When neither said anything else, Kagome stood and went to see what Rin was up to.

"Kagome-chan!" the girl cried when she caught sight of her elder. "Is this enough flowers?" Running over, she showed Kagome a large armful of the plants she loved so much.

"Yes, that should be good." The two girls plopped down in the shade at the edge of the field and Kagome began picking flowers out of the pile. Taking her time, she began to weave them into a chain. Rin watched in fascination. It didn't seem to take too long for Kagome to finish the chain and bring the ends together, completing it. Smiling, she dropped it over the girl's head and watched as Rin adjusted it around her neck. "Do you like it?"

"Yes, Kagome-chan, Rin thinks it's beautiful! Rin will show Sesshomaru-sama!" With that, the girl rose and returned to the site of their camp. Kagome followed with Jaken. As soon as everyone had returned, Sesshomaru turned and began walking. Jaken hurried to catch up with him, Rin following behind. Kagome stood where she was for a moment before going after them. Again, uncertainties began to rise up in her mind. Did she want to have to depend on someone, especially when it was for an indefinite amount of time? Was she really only good to watch after the small girl who followed Sesshomaru wherever he went? What about what Inuyasha had told her? She frowned. Could he have been right after all? Shaking her head, Kagome forced these questions to the back of her mind, along with the memory of her last talk with Inuyasha, which had inadvertently sprung into her thoughts. As she walked, she worked on building up a barrier between herself and those thoughts she did not want, and yet could not get rid of.

The rest of the day passed quietly. As night neared, the sky became overcast, but did not threaten rain; a light wind began to blow. When they went to sleep that night, Kagome gathered extra wood for the fire; she and the girl slept near it as the air became chilly. It had been almost a month since Kagome had returned to the feudal era, and summer was coming to an end. Her mind was drifting into the realms of sleep when she mused that if she had still been at home, she would have been starting her last year of high school soon, if she hadn't already.

There were no dreams that night. For this, Kagome was thankful; she was still thoroughly confused by the last one.

Morning came, bringing with it the same white skies from the evening before. They remained until the early afternoon when blue sky began to peek down on them. At the same time, the woods began to thing out. The path the group followed widened, giving a reprieve from the close quarters of the dense forest. They soon left the trees behind and stepped onto the large grassy area that surrounded a lake. Rin splashed in the shallows, while at the same time keeping pace with the others. Beyond the lake, they traveled along the borders between fields where various different crops grew. Mountains were visible in the distance and the land, which had previously been flat, slowly changed to rolling hills. When they stopped for the night, the girls lay on their backs and watched the stars before drifting off to sleep.

Dawn brought with it a group rising early and setting off as soon as everyone was awake. The two humans ate as they walked. The sky was sunny and cheerful. Rin soon began to skip and run ahead before stopping and waiting for her friends to catch up. She was eager to reach their destination. Between two large rises lay the entrance to a valley, and it was through here that Sesshomaru took them. At the other end a low, large building lay. It was clearly built of the traditional Japanese style, as was to be expected in the times they were in. Drawing near, it became clear that it was not one building, but several clustered together and surrounded by a low wall.

Kagome thought that it was not exactly what she would call a castle. When she thought of castles, the images brought to mind were both the western style buildings, normally the ones built off a gothic basis, as well as the large palaces of Japan's warlords and emperor. She did not know if many of those existed in feudal era as she knew it, but she had not seen any. This building was obviously much older than what she was thinking of.

"Kagome-chan will like Sesshomaru-sama's castle," Rin said, turning to face Kagome. "Sesshomaru-sama's otou-san had it built a long, long time ago!"

"Is that so?"

"Yes!"

Sesshomaru walked right up to the gates set into the wall, the two guards standing there bowed respectfully to him and stood aside. Kagome couldn't help but notice the looks they gave her. She chose to stare ahead and pretend they didn't exist for the moment. A youkai ran up to them and bowed. Sesshomaru stopped before him and spoke in commanding tones."

"Saionji, send Mayuko to me and have the guest rooms in the western wing readied."

"Yes, Sesshomaru-sama," the youkai, Saionji, said, bowing once more before rushing off to do his lord's bidding. A scant minute alter, a female youkai approached, bowing in a similar way.

"Escort this girl to the baths. While she is bathing, get together a suitable wardrobe for one who is above the level of servant. I will give you further orders later." Bowing again, the woman motioned for Kagome to follow and led her into the simple interior of Sesshomaru's home.

* * *

**Lunarcat12 -- **I really don't know what the black monster is. I am developing it farther in the upcoming chapters (while writing ahead as well), but I still have no idea. It might stay that way for a while. And no, Kagome really doesn't have good luck... .; 


	3. House of the Lord

**Chapter III -- Home of the Lord **

"It is an honor to serve my lady," the youkai, Mayuko, said. "If there is anything you should need anything, please let me know; or if you cannot find me, simply send another servant to look for 'Mayuko.'" As she spoke, Kagome watched her, as well as the halls they passed through. Mayuko was a youkai that much was clear from her aura as well as a few small features that a human would not have. The woman had long silky black hair tied back with a pale blue ribbon, flawless creamy skin and a perfect figure. Her eyes were a brilliant violet and her ears were pointed similarly to Sesshomaru's. She wore a pale blue yukata that the ribbon matched. "Might I ask your name, my lady?"

"It's Kagome."

"Very well, Kagome-sama," Mayuko stopped and bowed, sliding open a door in the process. "This is the bath house. If you would leave your things here, I will bring clean clothes for you. The bath is through there," she made a small gesture to the door in the opposite wall. "If I may, I must go see to it that your room is prepared properly; as well as see to it that a suitable wardrobe is made for you." With another bow, she turned to leave.

"Wait, Mayuko?" Kagome started. "Please just call me 'Kagome,' and you don't have to do all that bowing."

Mayuko turned back with a startled expression on her face. "But, Kagome-sama, it wouldn't be right!" she exclaimed. "I am sorry, but my station makes that an impossible and improper thing to do." With a swift bow, she turned and hurried away. Kagome frowned. She really didn't like the formalities being used. With a sigh, she stepped across the threshold and slid the door closed behind her. Pulling off her dirty clothes, she folded them neatly and placed them on the bench beside the door. Crossing the floor, she entered the second room.

As it turned out, the 'bath' was a hot spring that the building was built around. It took up roughly one third of the floor space; a smaller pool took up one corner. The large spring was steaming, the pool wasn't. Near the pool sat a couple of buckets and a brick of what looked like soap. That was impossible for Kagome to pass up. Kneeling by the pool, Kagome scooped a bucket full of water and dumped it over her head, shivering as the cold water splashed over her body. With the soap, she washed off all the dirt and grim she had accumulated over the last few weeks. Sure, she had bathed with Rin, but that had been in a river, without soap. Once she was as clean as she could get, she dumped a last bucket of water over herself and slid into the spring. It was a welcome change from the cold water.

Letting her body relax, she leaned back against the wall. With the water up to her shoulders, she simply stared off into space. It was only when a gentle hand was placed on her shoulder that she realized she must have drifted off to sleep.

"Kagome-sama, your room is ready," Mayuko's voice said softly. "You should get out now."

Opening her eyes, Kagome suppressed a groan. "Alright." She hoisted herself out of the water. Mayuko presented a towel for her to dry herself with, leading her to the other room to get dressed. The miko outfit was no longer sitting on the bench; instead, there was a tan yukata in its place. It was very similar to Mayuko's yukata, but made of a higher quality fabric. Kagome insisted that she could dress herself, and Mayuko –after some persuading- let her.

Finished dressing, Mayuko led Kagome back into the main building and through a maze of hallways and open-air walks. Despite all the turns, it did not take long for them to reach their destination. Mayuko stopped just outside a door that was sitting open. Motioning for Kagome to enter first, she followed the miko in. Kagome looked around, surprised at how simple her room was, while it conveyed a sense of style, class and money at the same time.

"Are you sure this is for me? It's just so…" she was going to say 'classy' but wasn't sure if Mayuko would understand the term.

"Yes, Kagome-sama. This is the room Sesshomaru-sama ordered us to prepare for you." As Kagome looked around the room, Mayuko walked over to a wall and slid aside a panel, revealing a closet. "If you would, please come and see your wardrobe." Kagome complied, and was amazed to see a range of yukata and kimono, all in pastel shades but a wide range of colors. Ranging from simple cotton to fine silk, it consisted of garments she would never have thought she would have ever owned. "Does it please you, Kagome-sama?"

"It does, but you're sure this is what Sesshomaru ordered?"

"Yes, Kagome-sama."

"Please, you don't need the 'sama.'" Mayuko only looked at her. "Never mind," Kagome finished with a sigh.

In all the room was sparsely furnished, with only a low bed and writing desk, both built in the style she had come to expect of the feudal era, low to the ground. The desk had a cushion in front of it. Despite this, there was a certain quality to everything that you would not find in all but the richest lords' homes. There was a single window providing a view outside. Walking over to it, Kagome found herself looking out into a garden.

"Is there anything you would like to do until dinner, Kagome-sama?" Mayuko asked. Kagome decided she was going to have to do something about all this 'Kagome-sama' business. It was irritating for one whom, if anything was used to being called simply Kagome; although that was not always the case.

"No, not really." She paused as a thought crossed her mind. "Why did Sesshomaru tell you to do all this? I thought he didn't like humans?"

"Sesshomaru-sama may not like all humans, but Rin-sama and yourself are proof that he does not dislike all. He is always very hospitable towards guests. No matter who is staying in his house, he always treats them with respect."

"Oh."

"Kagome-chan!" a familiar voice shrieked. Kagome turned from the window in time to find Rin running towards her with a paper in her hands. "Look what Rin did!" Kneeling down to the smaller girl's level, Kagome looked at the paper when Rin handed it to her. It was a drawing of two girls in a field of flowers. Above them were their names, written just neatly enough to be readable: 'Rin' and 'Kagome.'

"This is really good," she said truthfully. It had been a surprise to her how much Rin had picked up when it came to writing.

"Rin made it for Kagome-chan."

"That was very nice of you, Rin."

"Does Kagome-chan want to see Rin's special place?"

"Hm, that sounds nice. Sure I would." When she stood, Rin took her hand to lead her to the 'special place.' Kagome caught Mayuko smiling out the corner of her eye and couldn't resist a smile of her own.

Rin pulled the older girl out of the room and through the halls. Kagome soon found herself outside with Rin pulling her down a path. Ahead was a garden surrounded by a low wall. This is where Rin took her. Kagome breathed a small 'wow' when she saw the inside. It was beautiful. Along the wall were flowering bushes; the flowers ranged in color and shape, many Kagome had not see before. There were various other flowers planted in groups. Grass grew where flowers didn't, and at the very center lay a pond with a variety of water plants growing in it. Kagome found herself speechless at the sight.

"This is Rin's special place. Rin takes care of all the flowers here. Does Kagome-chan like it?"

"Yes, it's very pretty," Kagome replied once she had thought of something to say. "Do you take care of it all by yourself?"

"No, Rin sometimes has help from the servants here. They are Rin's friends." This proved that the girl really could make friends with anyone. It wasn't every day you would find a girl who had called the servants who were supposed to serve her, friends. Not to mention they were all youkai and she was a human. Kagome watched as the girl wandered through the garden, checking out different flowers and occasionally pulling out a weed that had been missed.

There were benches near the pond; Kagome chose one to sit one as she watched the girl. The garden was truly a peaceful place; it was obvious why the girl liked it.

"Kagome-sama, Rin-sama," a voice called from the entrance to the garden. It was Mayuko. "It is time for dinner."

"Coming," Rin replied, brushing the dirt off her hands as Kagome stood. Rin set off at her usual fast pace, Kagome followed with Mayuko.

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_Red eyes opened into the darkness of the room. They did not need to adjust to the darkness to see what was there. The room had no furnishings save the cushion the being sat on, no windows and only one door set into the wall so you hardly knew it was there. Soft footsteps outside the door paused as it slid open, then stepped in quickly and slid it shut once again. The eyes watched as the arrival set what it had been carrying down before kneeling near the door._

_"I trust this will satisfy your hunger," a pause, "for the meantime anyway."_

_Cloth slid on wood as the bundle was dragged toward the being. Sounds that would have been disturbing to anyone other than the two in the room followed. A juicy squishing accompanied by crunches of breaking bones as the being bit into the body of the human girl it had been brought. Within minutes, the body had been devoured, leaving only the cloth it had been wrapped in._

_"I have a proposal for you, I believe it will satisfy both of our wishes."_

_

* * *

_

Sorry it's so late! 

**Lunarcat12 -- **(Thanks for another review!) Oh, that bugs me so much too. I just had to do that. I still don't entirely know _what_ it is. But that points up does give a _little_ bit more info, huh? 

**Katey98y -- **Thanks. goes to work on upcoming chpaters


	4. Training

**Chapter IV -- Training **

When Kagome woke in the morning, she was much more comforterable than she had been in a long time. The only thing to offset her current contentment was the memory of the dream she had had. It had been much like the last one, but felt more like a vision than the other had. The first one, now that she really thought about it, had seemed to be a warning. Both times, the dream had been accompanied by a strong sense of evil, much like a youkai's aura, but more sinister. Rolling from her side to her back, she stared at the ceiling a moment before she decided to get up.

From the closet, she dressed in a spring green yukata and left the room. She wanted to see how well she knew the place. After only a couple turns though, she realized she had never been to these halls. Making sure every turn she took was fixed in her memory, she continued until she found herself outside again. Directly in front of her lay a stone path leading to a building of good size. The door was open, so she figured it couldn't hurt if she had a peek in.

Nearing the door, she could faintly hear soft footsteps and the hiss of something moving through the air. Up the two steps to the porch on the front of the building and she looked inside. What she saw shocked her: Sesshomaru practicing. Sure, he was using a practice blade instead of the Tenseiga or the Toukijin.

"What do you want?" the taiyoukai asked.

"Ah, n-nothing!" Kagome exclaimed, turning to leave.

"Wait." Kagome stopped. "You are weak as you are now."

"What's that supposed to mean?!"

"Rin thinks that you should learn how to fight."

"I can fight."

"Not efficiently enough. That bow of yours is only good for long range."

"Bu- wha-" Kagome spluttered. "Rin said that!?"

Sesshomaru stopped, but did not turn to face her. "She said she does not want her friends to be unable to protect themselves. Her reasoning is that I will not always be there and she does not want them to die."

"Ah… very blunt…"

Turning, cold eyes met startled and mildly confused eyes. "She said I should train you to use some weapon other than a bow."

Now Kagome could think of nothing to say. Of course she had known she couldn't use only a bow forever but she sure didn't want to learn how to use something else from Sesshomaru of all people. "Are you giving me a choice?"

"Yes." Wait –yes? She was sure it would have been 'no, I'm not giving you a choice in this' or 'no, I wont teach you.'

Squaring her shoulders, she replied. "Yes. Please teach me how to fight."

"Come back after breakfast. And have Mayuko find you something to wear." Without another word, he went back to his routine, signaling the end of the conversation.

Not hesitating, Kagome turned and left. Following the directions stored in her mind, she found the way back to her room with only one wrong turn. Mayuko was there waiting for her.

"Kagome-sama, I was beginning to wonder where you had gone." She paused, sniffing slightly. "Were you with Sesshomaru?"

"He offered to train me," Kagome said, trying to gauge what Mayuko's response would be. The youkai merely blinked, looking faintly surprised. "He said I needed to ask you to find me something to wear."

Mayuko nodded slowly. "Alright, Kagome-sama. I'll find you something, you go eat breakfast."

"Can I at least convince you to just call me Kagome, at least in private? I really don't like all this formality stuff."

"Maybe," Mayuko replied, smiling. "Now you get to breakfast."

As she had found the night before, meals were not horribly formal. Since youkai did not have to eat as often as humans, it was a choice whether or not to go, and the table where the lord of the house, Sesshomaru, would sit had only two chairs. One for Rin and one for Kagome, since they had to eat at every meal served. Rin had told her that Sesshomaru might come once a week, but it was never certain when. With the household as large as it was, with both servants and guards, there were always enough youkai in the room to keep the sound level just where you would have to raise your voice to be heard. Breakfast found a scene almost identical to the one from the night before. Not even the morning hour had any effect on the youkai –or Rin.

"Rin told Sessmomaru-sama that Rin does not want Kagome-chan to get hurt again," the girl said. Until now, Kagome had only paid her half an ear; but this got her full attention. "Rin told him that it would be good if Kagome-chan could protect herself like Rin can. She asked him if he would teach Kagome-chan like he taught Rin. Sesshomaru-sama said it would be Kagome-chan's choice. What does Kagome-chan think?"

"I think it might be a good idea, but what did you mean, 'if Kagome-chan can protect herself like Rin can?' Do you know how to defend yourself in a fight?"

"Mm! Sesshomaru-sama taught Rin how to use a knife last time we came to stay here. Now Rin can help Jaken fight when Sesshomaru-sama is not there!" Mentally, Kagome shook her head at the girl. How is it one so young could talk about such things as if she were talking about… flowers? In truth, she could not picture the girl with a knife in her hand, let alone actually using it. None-the-less, Kagome had to smile about how enthusiastic Rin had been about saying she had been taught to use a knife and could protect herself. Confidence could mean a fight won or lost, too much or too little and you were dead. Kagome didn't think the girl was over confident, but she didn't want to see the results of a real fight.

"Well, that's good, Rin. You still practice, right?"

"Of course Rin practices! Rin likes to practice. Sesshomaru-sama says you can never practice too much." Well, at least that was good. One thing Kagome found strange was how much the girl knew, it seemed to be more than any human child her age should know. She couldn't even be any older than eight!

Rin finished first and bounced up from her seat and told Kagome she would see her later before leaving. Kagome hastened to finish her food and returned to her rooms where she found Mayuko with a blue hakama and pale green kimono shirt. The only difference between these garments and her miko's outfit were the colors.

"I believe these should fit you… Kagome." The two girls smiled at each other.

"Thank you."

"Here, let me help you," Mayuko said, coming over when Kagome began to take off her yukata. Stopping, the human shook her head and took a step back.

"That's ok. I can change on my own."

Mayuko gave her a look. "I gave in to calling you Kagome, so the least you can do in return is let me help you. After all, I am supposed to be your servant, and so far, I'm not doing a lot of what servants are supposed to do." Kagome frowned and Mayuko grinned, stepping over and helping the girl undress. When helping Kagome pull on the kimono shirt, Mayuko stood behind her, gasping when she saw her back. "What happened?"

"Nothing," Kagome said, with a little more force than she had intended. "I said I can dress myself." Pulling away from the youkai, she finished pulling on her clothes.

"Is that why you didn't want my help?"

"Pease don't tell Sesshomaru," Kagome said, by way of reply. With that, she left for the dojo she had found Sesshomaru in earlier that morning. Mayuko stood in the doorway watching her charge go, feeling something she couldn't identify. Maybe it was pity? Hurt for the girl who seemed to feel none? What confused her was the fact that those were human emotions. With a small sigh, she turned back into the room and began to pick up the discarded yukata. Kagome was a strange human. She didn't hate or fear youkai and she didn't like to feel superior.

As she walked, Kagome stared at the floor. She felt a little sorry for snapping at Mayuko, but she had also let a secret out that she had wanted to keep hidden. Until now, it had worked well. The sunlight from outside fell first on her feet, causing her to look up as she neared the path leading to the dojo, a slight nervousness replacing whatever else she had felt before. She did not know what to expect from Sesshomaru. Without stopping, she headed right through the doors.

Sesshomaru stood in the far right corner, before him, Rin was going through some simple moves with a knife. When she held it, in comparison with her body, it could almost be called a dagger. He did not look up as she entered. Stopping just within the door, she stood at a slightly relaxed 'attention' and waited to be acknowledged. Only a minute or so passed before attention was turned to her.

"Rin, continue working on this." Sesshomaru then turned away from the girl and began walking towards Kagome. Halting a few feet away, he eyed her, considering. At his hip were two swords, both simple and neither the ones she was used to seeing him wield. One was probably the one he had been using earlier. Grasping one by the sheath, he pulled it free of his sash and held it out towards Kagome. "This will be yours. Do not loose it, do not mistreat it and do not use it lightly. Come." Turning, he walked to the center of the dojo. Kagome slipped the blade through her own sash and followed. When he stopped and turned to face her again, he spoke. "Draw your blade and do as I do."

It turned out that he could be a surprisingly patient teacher, correcting her every time she made a mistake, but he also worked her hard. Every once in a while, he would giver he a drill to do and go to see how Rin was doing, correcting her or giving her something new to do, sometimes he would simply stand to the side and watch them. No one paid much attention to the time.

Involuntarily, Kagome found herself determined to prove Inuyasha wrong for all those times he had called her weak or worthless. Eventually Sesshomaru had to tell her to stop and send her and Rin off for baths.

Their things were piled on the bench in the bath house, weapons on top of it all, and the two girls were soaking in the spring when lunch rolled around. It didn't seem like they had been in there long, proving that they must have spent more time in the dojo than they had thought. When the servant told them of this, Rin was out in a flash and half dressed by the time Kagome pulled herself from the water. Someone had taken their sweaty clothes and replaced them with clean, non-sweaty, ones, but left the swords and knife. Rin was waiting somewhat patiently with her knife in hand when Kagome tied her sash and picked up her blade. The two left their weapons in their rooms before going to the noon meal.

Again, Rin finished and announced that she was gong outside before vanishing. Kagome went to her room and went through the basic movements she had learned that morning; only without the sword in her hands. She left both the door and window open for airflow as she worked up a light sweat.

By dinner she was tired but satisfied.


	5. Visitors and Confessions

**Chapter V -- Visitors and Confessions **

Several days passed after Kagome began her training without much change. She would train personally in the mornings with Sesshomaru, sometimes Rin would come, sometimes she wouldn't; in the afternoon, Kagome would spend some time with Rin right after lunch then go to the dojo or her room (in this case, without the sword) to practice and after dinner in the evenings, she would work on letters with Rin. Sesshomaru provided them with paper and ink.

Although he did not want to admit it, she was doing surprisingly well for a human who had never handled a sword before. Kagome practiced in her every spare moment, determined to learn everything she could. At first, Mayuko had tried to get her to go easy, but the girl never listened. Mayuko took to watching from the corner, ready to step in if she had to.

One afternoon, Kagome had vanished into the dojo to work on the newest move Sesshomaru had showed her, when a servant stepped in, paused at the sight of the human with the sword, and headed straight for Mayuko. After whispering something, she stood back as Mayuko took several steps towards Kagome. "Kagome-sama." The girl slowed and glanced over at Mayuko. "Your presence is requested in the main courtyard. There is someone here to see you." She knew; or could guess who it was. Stopping, Kagome turned to Mayuko.

"I don't want to see them. Go tell them I'm not here, or I'm sick and sleeping. Whatever to get them to leave."

"Yes, Kagome-sama," the servant said bowing.

"Then you know who it is?" Mayuko asked once the other had left.

"Of course. I spent two years traveling with him; it's Inuyasha who wants to see me. I don't want to see him." Returning her blade to its sheath, Kagome left the dojo to return to her room. Mayuko did not follow.

Until now, Kagome had been feeling pretty good; it was a nice day out and she felt like she was accomplishing something. Now, she just felt unsettled. It worried her to know that Inuyasha knew not only that she was back in the feudal era, but where she was. Somewhere, back in a hidden little corner of her mind, she had known there was another reason she wanted to be able to protect herself. Now that let itself become more easily known. Standing before her window, she knew that trying to convince herself it was just an unfounded worry would be pointless, so she let it remain and did not think on it.

With a sigh, she turned away from the portal to the outside and set her sword on top of the chest where she had made its home. Removing the hakama and kimono shirt she had been wearing and changed into the yukata she had been wearing when she wasn't training. That done, she retuned to the window and stared up at the sky.

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"Why is it, Sesshomaru, that every time I come across your scent, Kagome's is there too?!" Inuyasha demanded. He was currently trying to get answers out of his elder half brother, but it wasn't going very well. Sango, Miroku, Shippo and Kirara stood behind him, Kikyou just off to his side. "I know she's here, so it's no use trying to hide it. Why is she here, she can't have come of her own free will. Where is she?!" Inuyasha said the last part with a growl. The group watched as a youkai hurried to Sesshomaru's side and whispered something. He nodded and the servant turned to them.

"Kagome-sama is currently sick and trying to rest. She does not want to be disturbed." With a quick and not very low bow, the youkai turned and left.

"Sick, or is it injured. Sesshomaru you-"

"Enough, Inuyasha," Sesshomaru said calmly. "The human came of her own free will. I did nothing other than tell her that if she wishes to remain here, she must look after Rin; she has done this and until she fails to do so, I will assume that it is also because she wishes to remain here. If you think I want something from her, I do not; but it is apparent that she does not want anything from you either. Leave now, or I will make you regret coming here." Inuyasha growled again.

"I believe we should do as he says, Inuyasha," Miroku said. "It is obvious Kagome has come to no harm, and that is what you wanted to make sure of, is it not?"

"Shut up, monk," Inuyasha said as he stormed past and out the gates. The rest of the group followed.

"I really miss Kagome," Shippo said sadly. "I hope I can see her again."

"Don't worry, Shippo," Sango consoled, "I'm sure you will be able to see her again. Inuyasha, let's return to the village. We have not been there for a while and Kaede might be able to tell us something of why Kagome went with Sesshomaru."

"Feh," was all the answer Inuyasha gave.

After his half brother was gone, Sesshomaru turned and entered his home.

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"Does he not want you around, Miko, or is it the other way around?" a voice asked from her doorway. Kagome turned from the window and saw Sesshomaru. He had approached silently, not giving away his presence until he spoke. "If he did not want you around, why is it that he came looking for you?"

"Ever heard of knocking?" Kagome asked in return, looking back out the window.

"Answer my question."

"Like I know why he came."

"Then tell me why you did not go with him, or at least speak with him."

"Why do you care, anyway?" That was a good question. Why did he care?

"It is not your place to question me, human." Kagome could feel her temper flaring and knew it could be potentially a bad thing when dealing with Sesshomaru, but at the moment, she didn't care.

"Maybe I just didn't want to!"

"You hate him." Sesshomaru paused, reading her scent more closely. "Or you fear him."

"Well if you're going to say that, why did you bother asking?" Kagome demanded. This is exactly what had happened right after she returned home after her last fight with Inuyasha; only then she had felt sorry for letting her temper get the better of her. She couldn't see why she would now. Why couldn't he just leave her alone about this like he did with everything else?

"Tell me."

"What?"

"Tell me what he did."

Again, Kagome turned to face Sesshomaru. Her fists were clenched and shaking, the emotions in her eyes were easy to read. "No. That's my business, not yours."

"You do not tell me what is or is not my business; it very much is when Inuyasha is involved." When Kagome did not say anything, he went on. "Miko, you are trying my patients. Speak."

"I will not." For a moment, they stared at each other, neither wanting to be the first to break it. Kagome blinked first; then Sesshomaru turned and left. Kagome managed to take the few steps to her bed before collapsing on it. Thus seated, she buried her face in her hands and simply sat. Moments later, someone new entered the room. Kagome knew it was one of two people, and easily removed one from the list of candidates. "What do you want?" she asked Mayuko sullenly, without looking up.

Mayuko did not speak for a moment. Before she did, she knelt before the girl and put a gentle hand on her shoulder. "What's wrong, Kagome?" She merely shook her head. "Please tell me. It has to do with Inuyasha-sama, right? And… those scars." Slowly, Kagome looked up then nodded. She would not meet the other girl's eyes. Mayuko thought briefly that she would once have found it funny to feel sympathy for a human, but banished the thought. Kagome remained silent. "Please, I've heard that if you talk about it, it can help lessen the pain."

"How would you know?" Kagome asked quietly.

"I don't but it would appear to be a popular saying among you humans. Personally, I have found that if you tell someone of a problem, it doesn't quite seem a bad as it did before." Kagome drew her knees up to her chest and rested her chin on them. That was the thing; she had spoken of what had happened, to her mother and grandfather, but it hadn't seemed to help at all. It wasn't until she had put it from her mind that her life seemed to be put in some sort of order. "Kagome." Mayuko's voice was kind and soft, making it hard not to speak. Finally, Kagome gave in.

"Inuyasha," she paused, thinking of how to phrase it. "Right after our last battle with Naraku, when we finally completed the Shikon no Tama," her hand moved to it where it still hung about her neck, "and killed him, we went back to a village we stayed in a lot. I went home, I lived near there, for a few days then came back. Since there was no reason, we had not decided on a set day and Inuyasha hadn't been expecting me. About half way between," her voice faded out for a second, "my home and the village, I saw Inuyasha and Kikyou, a miko who I look like. They were kissing and… almost going farther, but I must have made a noise." By now, her voice was not nearly as strong as it had been, hardly above a whisper. "They both turned and saw me.

"'So you've finally decided?' I asked Inuyasha. He did not answer, but turned to look at Kikyou. It was her who answered me.

"'He has,' she said. For another moment, he continued to look at her." Tears began, slowly at first, to run down her cheeks.

"I remember exactly what he said then. I don't think I will ever forget anything said that day. He said, 'Kagome, I lover her. I always have.' I didn't know what to do. I had thought that there was something between us, but I should have known from all the times he put her first. I said some things I shouldn't have; I probably will never say them again. He got mad. 'You have no right to say that! You are only a weak attempt of her shadow.' We said some more things to each other, and by then we were both mad. Kikyou did not help. She stood silently for the most part but eventually spoke and said that I did not deserve to keep her soul; that I should either die or go back to my home and never return. She… told Inuyasha that if he really loved her, he would kill me and get her soul back.

"I still bad my bow and arrows with me, so when he came at me with that look in his eye that said he was ready to kill, I shot at him. It hit him in the arm, and I guess that's what did it. Since he's a hanyou, his youkai part began to take over and he really attacked me. That's how I got the scars.

"He and Kikyou left me for dead, my friends Sango and Miroku found me and took me to Kaede's hut. I stayed there for about a week before I left and went home."

The majority of her story had been told with many pauses, but Mayuko had listened intently. When Kagome had started speaking, she had moved to sit beside the girl. Now that she was done, she broke down into tears and Mayuko did the only thing she could think of. She put her arms around the other girl and held her, letting her cry until she could cry no more. They then sat in silence for some time. The square of sunlight on the floor had moved several feet as the day grew longer before either spoke. It was Mayuko who did so.

"You should tell Sesshomaru-sama. He was mad when I saw him leave earlier."

"But I-"

"No, shh. It's his brother you were talking about, remember? He should know. Besides, I'm sure there was more behind his asking you than he let on." Kagome blinked in surprise.

"What's that supposed to mean?" she demanded.

"I'll let you find that out on your own, now come on. At the very least, I'm sure an apology would do some good." The human spluttered. As the youkai who was _supposed_ to be her servant almost literally dragged her down the hall, the thought of what a situation she had gotten herself into, all because she didn't want to see Inuyasha. Not only was she torn between still being upset, being angry at Mayuko for forcing her to see Sesshomaru and a bit worried because she really didn't want to have to talk to him. She knew that she would probably end up spouting the whole story again. By the time she realized Mayuko was taking her into a series of halls she didn't know, she had resigned herself to her fate. No, she didn't want to go speak to Sesshomaru, but yes, she would.

Eventually, Mayuko stopped at a door and stepped in, motioning for Kagome to wait. She reappeared a moment later, bowing out, and turned to the girl. Grinning, she gave Kagome a small shove, getting her into the room and closing the door. She found herself in a library; shelves were stocked with scrolls and very old-fashioned books. Mostly scrolls. Sesshomaru was sitting at a low table, with several of the scrolls laid out before him.

"Sit," he said. She looked down and saw a cushion on the side of the table. Moving forward, she knelt and sat. "Well?" He appeared to be looking at the scrolls on the table. Kagome clenched her fists to stop them shaking and looked at the floor. No one spoke. No one moved.

Finally, as she began to feel the effect of the day's emotional exertions, Kagome spoke. It was no more than a whisper, but Sesshomaru heard. "I-I'm sorry. I didn't want anyone to know… I thought maybe it would just go away if no one knew…" If she had looked up, she would have found Sesshomaru watching her intently. He did not speak as he waited. She let her chin drop to her chest; her bangs fell forward and hid her eyes. She made a silent promise that she would not let herself cry anymore. With a last deep breath, she began telling her story again. Sesshomaru let her speak as Mayuko had, waiting until the very end and giving her a few moments after to simply sit in silence.

"Thank you." Kagome's head snapped up. She couldn't believe what she had just heard him say. It was almost enough to snap her out of the mood she had been in for the last couple hours or so. He had not entirely wanted to say it, but she had answered many questions and told him when she did not want to. "You should go rest for the remainder of the day. Dinner will be served soon, ask Mayuko to bring it to you in your room." Kagome was about to object, she did not want to seem weak to the rest of the household, particularly not Rin, but something made her stop. She stood. "You may feel free to speak to me about anything you wish." This also shocked her, but she nodded her head. Maybe she had just had too long a day and was imagining things. She left quickly, Mayuko taking her arm and leading her to her room almost as soon as she left the library.

"Did it go well?" Mayuko asked as Kagome leaned against the wall near the bed.

Shaking her head, Kagome said, "I don't know. I just-"

Mayuko sighed. "Well, sit down. I'll have a tray made up for you; an early dinner. You look like you could use a week's worth of sleep." A simple nod was the only response as Kagome slid into her bed. After finishing her meal, Mayuko managed to get Kagome into her night clothes; she was asleep almost as soon as her head hit the pillow. Her last conscious thought was that Mayuko had been right, she did feel better now that she had told someone about it.

Mayuko smiled as she looked at Kagome's sleeping form before leaving. Maybe this human girl would finally be the one to melt her lord's icy heart. She knew it would be good for both of them, especially after hearing Kagome's story of betrayal. But at the same time, she could see easily that it would not be easy for Kagome to let anyone get close to her. She had good reason not to. Turning, Mayuko decided that she would not interfere and see how things played out on their own. Kagome was a human, Sesshomaru would need to learn for himself how to find love. Closing the door quietly, she went to look for something to do until she felt like sleeping.

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**Lunartcat12 -- **Muahaha... Well, Kagome's secret has been revealed. (I'm sorry to all of you, but I kind of have a small case of writer's block for chapter six, so I'm open to any suggestion... .; It might take a little while. In the mean time, I'm working on a Naruto story that should be posted soon... maybe.) 


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